Game apparatus



I (No Model.)

W. E. DOW.

GAME APPARATUS;

Patented May 19, 1896.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILIJARD E. DOYV, OF BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,197, dated May 19, 1896.

Application filed August 24, 1895. Serial No. 560,376. (No model.)

T 0 [pl], whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IVILLARD Dow, of Braintree, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the pro duction of a novel puzzle, and the nature of the invention will be best understood after a detailed description of one embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of one embodiment of my invention, said figure showing the movable pieces as in the starting-pocket preparatory to beginning the operation of the puzzle. Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, show diiferent views of the puzzle with the pieces in different positions representing diiferent stages of the operation; Fig. 6, a view showing the several movable pieces as arranged in proper order in the home-pocket, and Fig. 7 a sectional detail illustrating one construction of the puzzle.

Referring to the drawings, in the embodiment of my invention there shown and selected for illustration a is the body, preferably circular in shape and formed, it maybe, of wood, pulp, pasteboard, or other suitable material, it, as shown, having pivoted at its center what I shall hereinafter term the transferrei Z), the said transferrer in the present instance being secured, as by a screw Z), to a knob or handle b protruding through the back of the body, in order that with the latter held in one hand the transferrer may be readily rotated as desired by means of the knob and other hand.

The body 0 is shown as provided with three principal pockets 0, d, and c, which I have denominated the starting, storage, and home pockets. I have also shown and prefer to employ one or more intermediate pockets ff.

The transferrer, as shown, is also provided with a plurality of pockets, shown as four, in number and lettered h, h, 7L2, and it the diameter of the transferrer starting from the point 1 growing gradually less betweenthe successive pockets2'. 2., in step formas indicated at 2, and 4, until it reaches its smallest diameter at 5, for a purpose to be described.

In the operation of the puzzle I employ a plurality herein of four movable balls, disks, or, as I prefer to call them, pieces m, they being distinguished or designated in suitable manner herein by means of lines shown upon the same, one of which is a circle, the other three being provided, respectively, with one, two, and three circumferential lines, and in designating the pieces I shall hereinafter refer to them as the 0, 1, 2, and 3 pieces.

The operation of the game may be briefly outlined as follows, viz: IVit-h the four pieces in the starting-pocket, arranged in the order shown in Fig. 1, the puzzle or operation is to place them all in the home-pocket. in the order shown in Fig. 6 and back again to the starting-pocket in a different order from that in which they were originally positioned before starting.

To facilitate in positioning and placing the pieces, I have displayed at the bottom of the starting-pocket c the figures 1 O 2 3, indicating the order in which the pieces are to be arranged in starting, and at the outer edge of the pocket I have arranged the numerals 2 1 O to indicate the order in which the pieces are to be restored to the pocket should the operator operate the puzzle to that eX- tent, and adjacent the home-pocket e, Ihave arranged the numerals O 1 2 3 in the order given to indicate the order in which the pieces are to be positioned in the home-pocket.

Referring now to Fig. 1, with the pieces positioned in the starting-pocket, as indicated by the numerals in the bottom of the pocket, the operator turns the transferrer 19 into position with the pocket 77. opposite the entrance 0 to the starting-pocket, and by tilting the puzzle or by a positive movement by the finger or otherwise moves the piece 0 from the startingpocket into the transferrer h, after which the transferrer is rotated to carry said piece into the position, Fig. 2, when it is dropped into its dotted position in the storage-pocket. The operator now returns the transferrer to its original position, with its pocket 72 opposite the entrance 0* to the starting-poeket, and receives from the latter a second pieee-for example, the piece numbered 1and transfersit in similar manner to the storage-pocket, as shown in full lines, Fig. 8. The transferrer is returned again to the starting-pocket and receives a third piece for instance, the piece 2and turns it into the position,Fig. 4; but before the transferrer reaches its position, Fig. at, and while the pocket It is opposite the entrance to the storage-pocket, one of the piecesfor instance, 1is moved from the storage-pocket into the transferrer-pocket 71, and the transferrer is then moved into its position, Fig. 4, to deposit the piece 2 in the storage-pocket in the position originally occupied by the piece 1. The piece 0 is now moved into the transferrerpocket h and is carried back to the startingpocket, the piece 1 moving with the transferrer, and after the piece 0 has been returned to the starting-pocket the piece 3 is moved therefrom and transferred to the storagepocket, as with the others described. With the pieces 2 and 3 in the storage-pocket and the piece 1 in the transferrer-pocket 71, the transferrer is returned to the starting-pocket and receives in its pocket h the piece 0, which is carried to and deposited in the intermediate pocket f, (see Fig. 5,) the piece 1 being all this tim e in the transferrer-pocket 71 Having deposited the piece 0 in the intermediate pocket f, the transferrer is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, into its dotted position until its pocket 71 is opposite the pocket f, when the piece 0 is moved into the pocket ha, and by movement of the transferrer in a direction opposite to the arrow again to its full-line position is deposited in the pocketf. The transferrer is then moved back a step in the direction of the arrow until its pocket 71 is opposite the piece 0 in the pocketf, when the piece 0 is moved in the said pocket h and the transferrer moved in the direction opposite the arrow, Fig. 5, to deposit the said piece in the home-pocket c. It is now necessary to take the piece 1 from the pocket 7L and put it into the pocket 7L in order that it may be placed in the home-pocket next the 0 one just placed therein. To aeeomplish this, the transferrer with the piece 1 in the pocket h is returned to its position, Fig. at, and the piece 2, which is in the storagepocket and indicated in the dotted lines, Fig. 41,15 placed in the pocket h of the transferrer and the latter moved in a direction opposite the arrow until piece 1 can be placed in the storage-pocket in the position previously oecupied by the piece 2. The piece 3, which was also in the storage-pocket, is now dropped into the pocket 71 taking the place of piece 1 previously therein, the transferrer returned again to its position, Fig. 4, and the piece 2 is dropped into the storage-pocket and the piece 1 taken from the pocket and placed in the transferrer-pocket h, and thereafter, by successive steps precisely as with the piece 0, is deposited in the home-pocket. The transferrer is now returned and the piece 3 in the transferrer-pocket h is deposited in the storage-pocket, after which both 2 and 3, then in the pocket, are singly and step by step deposited in the home-poeket in precisely the same manner as were the pieces 0 and 1 deposited therein. This may be considered the solution or termination of the puzzle, if desired.

It is impossible to move the pieces from the starting-pocket directly into the home-pocket, because having once deposited apiece in the home-pocket it will be thereafter impossible to return the transferrer in a direction opposite the arrow into position with either one of its transferrer-pockets opposite to the entrance of the starting-pocket, rendering it necessaryto transfer all of the pieces first to the storage-pocket and then back one at a time into the home-pocket; and it is further necessary to move the pieces from the storagepocket step by step into the home-pocket, for if it should be attempted to move a piece at one movement of the transferrer from the storage-pocket into the pocket f it would be impossible to return the transferrer again into position to receive a second piece from the storage-pocket, because the projection 3 between the transferrer-pockets h and 7L2 would strike the piece in the pocket 7L and prevent such return movement. In other words, the construction of the device is such, as shown, as renders it necessary to move the pieces step by step from the storage-pocket into the several successive intermediate pockets.

Should the operator desire to continue the game further and return the pieces from their positions, Fig. (5, again to the starting-pocket in the order represented by the numerals at the outside of the pocket, he will proceed, in brief, as follows, viz: The pieces 3 and 2 will be successively and by a reverse of the previous operation returned to the storage-pocket. The piece 1 is then returned, and just before placing it in the storage-pocket one of the piecesas, for instance, 2will be removed from the storage-pocket into the transferrerpocket h to make the necessary space in the storage-pocket for the piece 1. The transferrer is now returned for the piece 0, which is brought up to the pocket f and is then transferred into the pocket f, and is therefore carried from the home-pocket into the starting-pocket in the manner substantially as previously described. Now the remaining pieces 1, 3, and 2 are then taken in the order mentioned and transferred step by step into the pocket f, and thence through. or past the home-pocket into the starting-pocket, thus finishing the puzzle.

My invention is not limited to the construction and arrangement herein shown, for it evident that the same may be varied within the spirit and scope of my invention, as claimed.

Instead of rotating the transferrer by a knob, as shown, said transferrer may be moved.

around by the finger applied at the face or to one of the movable pieces carried by the transferrer, if desired.

1 claim 1. In a game apparatus containing one or more movable pieces, a movable transferrer, and a body containing a starting-pocket, a home-pocket both of a size capable of receivin ga plurality of said movable pieces, and one or more intermediate pockets smaller and capable of receiving a less number of pieces than said starting and home pockets and into which the pieces are necessarily moved in transferring the same from the starting to the home pocket, substantially as described.

2. In a game apparatus employing one or more movable pieces, a movable transferrer, and a body containing a starting-pocket, a home-pocket, both of a size capable of receiving a plurality of said movable pieces, a storage-pocket and one or more intermediate pockets smaller and capable of receiving a less number of pieces than said starting and home pockets and into which the said pieces are moved in transferring the same from the starting into the home pocket, substantially as described.

3. In a game apparatus employing one or more movable pieces, a movable transferrer, and a body containing a starting-pocket, a storage-pocket and a home-pocket between the two, said storage-pocket being smaller and capable of receiving a less number of said movable pieces than the said starting and home pockets, substantially as described.

4. In a game apparatus employing one or more movable pieces, a movable transferrer, and a body containing a starting-pocket, a

storage-pocket, a home-pocket between the two, all capable of receiving a plurality of said movable pieces and one or more intermediate pockets between the storage and home pockets and smaller and capable of receiving a less number of said pieces than said storage and home pockets, substantially as described.

5. In a game apparatus employing one or more movable pieces, a body containing a starting-pocket, a home-pocket, a storagepocket and one or more intermediate pockets between the storage and home pockets, and smaller and capable of receiving a less number of moving pieces than either said storage or home pocket and a pocketed transferrer constructed to compel movement of all the pieces from the starting to the storage pocket preparatory to entering the home-pocket, substantially as described.

(3. In a game apparatus having one or more movable pieces, a body containing a startingpocket, a storage-pocket, a home-pocket between the two, all capable of holding a plurality of said movable pieces, one or more intermediate pockets between and smaller and capable of holding aless number of said pieces than the storage and home pockets, and a rotatable transferrer also provided with a plurality of pockets and constructed to operate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLARD E. DOlV.

\Vitnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, MARGARET A. DUNN. 

